The present invention relates to a heavily insulated shelter structure having means for collecting and storing solar heat; means for liberating stored solar heat from said structure and cooling same; means for moving heat into and out of the fueless heat storage within said structure; and the cooperative combination of automatically and continuously accomplishing all three methods within said shelter structure to maintain the internal temperature of said structure at a constant level regardless of external seasonal temperatures.
Modern heating and cooling systems of the closed loop refrigerant type operate at pressures from 100 psi to 250 psi.
In comparison, the present invention operates at pressures far below 100 psi and for this reason is especially advantageous since the cost of piping, fittings and materials can be proportionally reduced.
It is noted that 40 to 60 psi is about the fluid pressure of the fauset pressure of the normal house water system.
Constant temperature control of the heated and cooled mass materials in a building formed as in the present invention is accomplished by a non-electric thermostatically operated group of valves that work together to control the movement of the working fluid in the by pass lines.
By pass valves allows a working fluid refrigerant such as SO.sub.2 gas to migrate to the lowest pressure section of the system, thus preventing unwanted heat transfer throughout the interior of the structure. The complete and accurate heating and cooling of a heavily insulated building without using electricity, pumps, or any source of energy other than solar heat is the combined result.
For the past 50 years man has invented new and different ways of collecting solar energy for heating. Most of the previous systems designed for collecting solar heat require electric motor driven pumps and water with or without anti-freeze chemical as the working fluid. To date there has been little or no success in obtaining cooling from the sun.
For example, a Dr. Farber of Florida has mixed ammonia with lithium bromide in an absorption system. However, these systems are very heavy and cumbersome to manufacture, deliver and install and must be built with all ferrous metals. Running in a coolish mode they are known to be only 25 percent efficient.
Solar heat collecting systems at their best have been plagued with losses, mechanical problems and maintainence. Some times the cost of electrically operating the pump is greater than the solar energy benefit received. Prior to the work of the present inventor, no one to the knowledge of the inventor has been able to move heat vertically downward direction and return the refrigerent carrying fluid to a vertically upper level (or